Fumble out of bounds in the end zone

[NWPATSFAN]

Clearly you don't and that is your right. As it's mine to think it's absurd to reward the D for a fumble they never recovered (and in many cases, didn't even cause).

FYI, an "LOL", an emoji, etc. wont enhance your opinion/argument.

I'm not sure it's many cases. Maybe a little hyperbole on your part?

Having said that, I love it when it happens to the opposing team but not mine.

This is one rule that favors the defense. It also keeps a team from purposely fumbling the ball forward IOT get a score especially if time has run out.

 

[Anointed One]

this would be far worse. I teach my guys to fumble forward thru the end zone on any 3rd or 4th down to get a new set of downs. IF ANYTHING, they get the ball on the 20 with a loss of down

That would work, too... Anything is better than a turnover resulting in a TB for the other team...

 

[elguapo]

such as?

1. playing the game
2. being on tv instead of re-runs of gilligans island
3. anything Lebron James

 

[Tomhusker]

Hard to believe when discussing this type of play someone said "let's reward the defense even though they did not recover the fumble (and may not even had a hand in causing the fumble)". worse is a group of people had to say, "good idea".

Nearly anything than the actual rule would be better. Ball at spot of fumble for the O...ball where they have a 2 point try....ball on 10, 20, whatever.

You're absolutely right. They should have gone with, "As a reward for not protecting the ball at a critical point in the game, we're gonna give you another chance to score a pivotal touchdown."

 

[SteelersPride]

You're absolutely right. They should have gone with, "As a reward for not protecting the ball at a critical point in the game, we're gonna give you another chance to score a pivotal touchdown."

well to be fair, if he fumbled 28 yards forward and it went out of bounds, they absolutely give it to them. If it goes out of bounds at the one inch line its first and goal at the one......

 

[Ojb81]

I think this article does a pretty good job of putting this rule in proper perspective, particularly covering the history of the game and what led to it. And how the endzone isn't the same thing as the field of play.

The ‘worst rule in football’ isn’t wrong at all

Why fumbling out of the end zone should result in a turnover.

news.yahoo.com

 

[fastforward]

The rule should be if it was fumbled prior to crossing the goal line, but the ball went into the end zone and out of bounds, defense did not recover it. It should be placed at original spot of fumble with the goal line acting like a sideline. The end zone itself should not act as a sacred area, it should be just be another out of bounds area. If a player is running towards the sideline, fumbles the ball forward for 10 yards and it goes out of bounds on its own, no defensive recovery, they place the ball back at the spot of the fumble. There is already a penalty for the offense in the way of the safety if they fumble through the endzone backwards. The point of the positioning of the ball is not allowing the offense to advance the ball on a fumble where it results in points. If it goes backwards, well that is on them. It is the most ridiculous penalty I have ever seen.

Unless the defense recovers the ball, they should not be given possession. If the defense does recover the ball in the end zone, they get the ball and start from the 20. If the offense fumbles the ball and it goes OUT OF BOUNDS ANYWHERE, it should be brought back to the original spot of the fumble if recovered by the offense. Spot of recovery if the defense recovers. Plain and simple.

That ball the Higgins fumbled against the Chiefs, should have been placed at the half yard line, pure and simple.

I pretty much agree, other than the strikethrough/red font bit. I would also tack on a 5 or 10 yard penalty for the ball-carrier's team with the down & play counting, (which would effectively make it a loss of down play). There should also be a 10 second run-off.

 

[jerseyhawksfan79]

For me it's just one of those rules where you just question the need for it. For example, a guy dives to the end zone on 2nd down on the one yard line and the ball squeaks out of his hand a few inches away from breaking the plane and then the ball goes out of bounds in the end zone. Instead of it just having it be 3rd down and goal from where he fumbled the ball it somehow becomes a kickoff to the other team. That's just crazy talk to me. Just bring the ball back to where he fumbled before it went into the end zone and go to the next down in my mind, or at worst you go back to the original line of scrimmage and you lose a down.

Why is the offense rewarded for their screw up?

 

[BrownEyedGirl]

Why is the offense rewarded for their screw up?

Rewarded? The defense didn't recover the fumble it just goes out of play and so the ball should remain with the offense. If they fumble on the one foot line for example then the ball should go back to that spot if the defense doesn't recover it and the ball goes out of the end zone. At worst it would go back to the original line of scrimmage or a potential loss of down. Anything is better than it somehow being a touchback in my mind.

 

[jerseyhawksfan79]

Rewarded? The defense didn't recover the fumble it just goes out of play and so the ball should remain with the offense. If the fumble on the one foot line for example then the ball should go back to that spot if the defense doesn't recover it and the ball goes out of the end zone. At worst it would go back to the original line of scrimmage or a potential loss of down. Anything is better than it somehow being a touchback in my mind.

It doesn't matter if the defense didn't recover the ball. Every player on offense knows the risk of diving at the pylon so why should the offense receive another down on their own screw up? Too me, they fucked up and there should be consequences for their actions.

 

[BrownEyedGirl]

It doesn't matter if the defense didn't recover the ball. Every player on offense knows the risk of diving at the pylon so why should the offense receive another down on their own screw up? Too me, they fucked up and there should be consequences for their actions.

You are focusing on the symptom, i'm trying to focus on the disease so to speak. Just because the rule currently exists doesn't mean it's a good rule or that it has to stay.

 

[fastforward]

It doesn't matter if the defense didn't recover the ball. Every player on offense knows the risk of diving at the pylon so why should the offense receive another down on their own screw up? Too me, they fucked up and there should be consequences for their actions.

I don't think anyone has an issue with there being consequences but the current consequences just turn the game into a lottery. If it's 3rd & 10 at the 11 yard line fans want the ballcarrier to be pushing for both the line to gain and the endzone. If the ball is fumbled out-of-bounds at the 2 it's 4th down, if it's fumbled at the 1 it's 1st & goal, if it's fumbled at the goal-line it's a touchback. That isn't what fans want. No-one wants to invest 3 hours or a whole season just for it to be decided by a lucky bounce. Fans want there to be a penalty for fumbling and not recovering the ball. By all means penalise the ball-carrier 5 or 10 yards from the spot of the fumble so it's 4th & long but don't wreck the game/season.

 

[Ojb81]

I don't think anyone has an issue with there being consequences but the current consequences just turn the game into a lottery. If it's 3rd & 10 at the 11 yard line fans want the ballcarrier to be pushing for both the line to gain and the endzone. If the ball is fumbled out-of-bounds at the 2 it's 4th down, if it's fumbled at the 1 it's 1st & goal, if it's fumbled at the goal-line it's a touchback. That isn't what fans want. No-one wants to invest 3 hours or a whole season just for it to be decided by a lucky bounce. Fans want there to be a penalty for fumbling and not recovering the ball. By all means penalise the ball-carrier 5 or 10 yards from the spot of the fumble so it's 4th & long but don't wreck the game/season.

Bullshit. "Lucky bounces" are part of the game of football. Penalize the ballcarrier 5 or 10 yards?? Eat shit and go fuck yourself

 

[fastforward]

Bullshit. "Lucky bounces" are part of the game of football. Penalize the ballcarrier 5 or 10 yards?? Eat shit and go fuck yourself

Another quality post that adds something to the debate.

Go watch a roulette wheel and cheer for a number you like.

 

[jerseyhawksfan79]

You are focusing on the symptom, i'm trying to focus on the disease so to speak. Just because the rule currently exists doesn't mean it's a good rule or that it has to stay.

But it is a good rule. The offense shouldn't get do overs for their miscues down at the goal line. Secure the football better and the fumble through the EZ won't happen.

 

[jerseyhawksfan79]

I don't think anyone has an issue with there being consequences but the current consequences just turn the game into a lottery. If it's 3rd & 10 at the 11 yard line fans want the ballcarrier to be pushing for both the line to gain and the endzone. If the ball is fumbled out-of-bounds at the 2 it's 4th down, if it's fumbled at the 1 it's 1st & goal, if it's fumbled at the goal-line it's a touchback. That isn't what fans want. No-one wants to invest 3 hours or a whole season just for it to be decided by a lucky bounce. Fans want there to be a penalty for fumbling and not recovering the ball. By all means penalise the ball-carrier 5 or 10 yards from the spot of the fumble so it's 4th & long but don't wreck the game/season.

Lucky bounces happen in every sport, it's apart of the game for good or for worse. If that bounce that trotted through the EZ costed you a season then maybe your team wasn't good enough to make it as your team had a full year of games to win for it not to come down to a lucky bounce.

 

[broncosmitty]

It’s a bad rule because the other team didn’t recover the fumble, yet they get the ball.

It’s the worst rule in all of sports.

 

[Dude]

It’s a rule, a shitty rule as stands. Agree with concept of putting the ball on the 20 ... in favor of the team that fumbles. To declare it a safety of sorts seems rather ridiculous.

 

[wilwhite]

But thats the thing it’s not an exception to the rule. It is an addition to a rule that doesn’t take that scenario into account.
If you want to change the rule to say no forward advancement to any fumble. Then fine. We can then use that rule for the end zone scenario.

No forward advancement on a ball that goes out of play is already the rule.

Item 3. Out of Bounds. When a fumble goes out of bounds between the goal lines, the following shall apply:

1. If a fumble goes backward and out of bounds, the ball is next put in play at the inbounds spot by the team that was last in possession;
2. If a fumble goes forward and out of bounds, the ball is next put in play at the spot of the fumble by the team that was last in possession;

2020 NFL Rulebook | NFL Football Operations

Why make an exception for a fumble into the opponent's end zone? The spot of the fumble is still between the goal lines.

 

[CrashDavisSports]

Why is the offense rewarded for their screw up?

How are they being rewarded here as opposed to any other fumble on the field when they lose the ball out of bounds where the defense does not recover? Offenses already penalize themselves by fumbling the ball backwards and recovering it, because they lose that yardage and the down. If the defense recovers, they really penalized themselves. If the offense fumbles the ball and it goes backwards out of their endzone they are penalized 2 points and the opposing team gets the football. If you fumble backwards, you lose yardage and down, if you fumble forward and get the ball back, you lose the gained yardage at point of fumble and it goes back to the spot of the fumble. Everything about this rule penalizes the offense.

That play with Higgins should have been bring the ball back to the point of fumble, at the half yard line, continue to next play. They should not be penalized for the fumble if the defense didn't recover, he was already penalized by not getting the TD on the play because it was knocked lose, never mind the personal foul that was committed against Higgins when the defender led with his helmet into the head and neck area of Higgins causing the fumble.

Bring the ball back to the spot of the fumble if it was fumbled forward. If it is fumbled backwards, it is where ever the ball goes out of bounds is where the play continues. In this case, it was fumbled forward without recovery by the defense, so it should have been Browns ball at the half yard line.